At this rate, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is also guaranteed to beat Marvel's CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER and Chris Pratt's earlier hit THE LEGO MOVIE to become the highest-grossing release of 2014 (so far). GUARDIANS' $489 million global total has also pushed it past Marvel's THOR ($449 million worldwide).

Switching spots for second was TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES with $16.8 million, after the sewer-dwelling crimefighters sat on top for two weeks. The color-coded quartet stayed just ahead of the new young-adult adaptationIF I STAY, opening in third with $16.3 million. The Chloe Moretz coma melodrama (which reportedly cost just $11 million) drew an 'A-' CinemaScore from crowds, but critics left it with a 41% average on Rotten Tomatoes.

Dropping a slot to fourth in its second weekend was LET'S BE COPS with $11 million, down only 38% from its opening. Despite unfavorable reviews, the R-rated Jake Johnson/Damon Wayans Jr. comedy is turning into a minor success with a $45.7 million 12-day total on a reported $17 million budget.

The new biopic WHEN THE GAME STANDS TALL opened in fifth with $9 million. The spiritual sports drama, featuring Christ himself Jim Caviezel as a high school football coach, was a touchdown for most moviegoers ('A-' CinemaScore) but fumbled badly for critics (18% on Rotten Tomatoes).

The Jeff Bridges drama THE GIVER dipped to sixth with $6.7 million, a 45% drop from its modest opening weekend. But it was still enough to hold off a small army of elder action actors, as THE EXPENDABLES 3 sagged in seventh with $6.6 million (a 58% plunge). With just $27.5 million so far, it's looking like it might be time for the franchise to get lowered into the grave.

The monochromatic sequel SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR opened way down in eighth with a flat $6.4 million -- a fraction of the first SIN CITY's $29.1 million opening nine years ago. Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's comic book noir rounded up much of the first movie's cast and tossed in some new players, but couldn't generate any real excitement from crowds or critics, who shrugged at the stylish crime flick with a 'B-' CinemaScore and a 43% average on Rotten Tomatoes.